Quinceañera

Movie name: Quinceanera
Year of release: 2006
Director: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
Stars: Emily Rios, Jesse Garcia, Chalo Gonzalez, David W. Ross, Jason L. Wood, J.R. Cruz, Araceli Guzman-Rico, Jesus Castanos
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland's "Quinceanera"made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, where it won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. The film follows 14 year old Magdalena, who we see at the begining of the film attending her cousin's Quinceanera, a rite of passage for girls who turn 15 and become young women. Magdalena has a boyfriend, whom with she has experienced some sexual intimacy, but without ever losing her virginity. When she appears pregnant, her father who is a preacher, doesn't believe Magdalena's explanations, forcing her to go live with a great-uncle and her outcast gay cousin, Carlos. Their little house is a rental that belongs to a wealthy gay couple, who get involved with Carlos with some unexpected results. The film smartly focuses on the mexican community, the sense of family that unites them and the traditions that define them. The Quinceanera rite that symbolizes the entry point to a new stage of a young girl's life, ends up being a catalyst for a series of characters, from the gay cousin who learns that love is more complicated than it appears, for Magdalena who learns her father is just another man with his shortcomings, for her elderly uncle that unites them all in his death. This is a small gem of a film, that details the life of a family, in a country that doesn't necessarily understands them, but which they call home. And that's all these characters are looking for. Worth seeing!

Where the Wild Things Are

Movie name: Where the Wild Things Are
Year of release: 2009
Director: Spike Jonze
Stars: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Pepita Emmerichs, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Lauren Ambrose, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, Michael Berry Jr.
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:Spike Jonze's third film, following his previously well received and critically acclaimed films "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation", had a long and difficult journey to reach the screen. Amongst extensive reshooting and other stories of executives at Warner not being pleased with the final result of the film, "Where the Wild Things Are" is premiering a year after it's original release date. The film follows Max, a young imaginetive boy who lives with his single mother and older sister. Max is an anguished child, mostly due to the feeling his family isn't complete - his father is an absent figure. In one of his rebelious outbursts, Max runs away from home and escapes to a fantasy world inhabitted by creatures that are very unique and very much like a family. There he befriends Carol, the leader of the group, who is akin to Max himself and who decides to make Max their king. The dynamics of the group starts to change, because Max isn't the fatherly figure the creatures all expect. Spike Jonze took his time to get the adaptation of Maurice Sendak's book just the way he wanted. The film is a look at childhood and the perception of what a family is, through the eyes of a child who misses a parental figure. Through his adventures with the creatures, Max realizes that love and the people who love you, are far more important than the ones who aren't there. The film is remarkably well shot (courtesy of Lance Acord) and it's look and feel are simply superb. Visually it's unlike anything else and it conveys the melancholy and the sense of astonishment that Max is feeling. The creature effects, courtesy of Jim Henson's studios, is also fantastic and very real. This is a film with an artist's vision, with some shortcomings as far as some character development is concerned, but still unforgettable. Two special mentions to the always fantastic Catherine Keener in another great performance and the soundtrack filled with great songs, courtesy of Karen O.

Zombieland

Movie name: Zombieland
Year of release: 2009
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Amber Heard, Bill Murray
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis: Ruben Fleischer's first feature film follows a tone that oscillates between comedy and zombie/horror film, very much in the same way as Edgar Wright's "Shaun of the Dead" did. The film introduces us to Columbus, a young man who is narrating the story and who explains that the world has been overrun with zombies. He explains the rules of how to survive in a world infested with flesh eating creatures. On his way to Columbus, Ohio he takes a ride with Tallahassee, an older man with a low tolerance for zombies and a fixation with twinkies. They cross paths with two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, who initially steal their car, but whom they bond and eventually drive with on their way to a Los Angeles amusement park.
The film is filled with an unpretentious tone that suits it just fine - very much like Woody Harrelson's character, the film knows that the zombie sub-genre can go in many directions, and this one wisely chooses to go with self-irrision. The characters are thin, but the situations they all find themselves in are so over the top, that the tone that each main character has is just pitch perfect. Bill Murray's cameo is as always priceless and Woody Harrelson's character is tailor made for him: the smartass that is the ultimate badass. A fun and entertaining film worth checking out.

Jennifer's Body

Movie name: Jennifer's Body
Year of release: 2009
Director: Karyn Kusama
Stars: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, JK Simmons, Adam Brody, Amy Sedaris, Chris Pratt, Cynthia Stevenson
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:Karyn Kusama's third film following "Girl Fight" and "Aeon Flux" tackles an original screenplay by Oscar winner Diablo Cody, responsible for "Juno". The film follows two high school girls, Jennifer and Needy, best friends since they were little girls. Jennifer is the beautiful girl whom everyone idolizes and has crushes on, whereas Needy is the more discrete and quiet one, with a sweet boyfriend who cherishes her. When Jennifer decides to go to a rock concert with Needy, the band chooses to sacrifice Jennifer mistakenly thinking she is a virgin, in hopes to get the success they are pining for. Somehow Jennifer doesn't die and returns inhabited by a demon, something that makes her insatiable for human bodies, with unpredictable consequences.
This basic premise for the film, has the interesting concept of merging horror film with teen comedies in the lines of "Heathers" or more recently "Mean Girls", however the result is very tame and pale when compared with those previous examples. Diablo Cody has a talent for writing smart lines and quirky humor, but in terms of story development this film definitely has points where it doesn't hold much sense. The director can only do so much with what it has, and Karyn Kusama smartly holds the key to the film in the less showy character, Needy. Thankfully Amanda Seyfried is a good actress, and plays it low key, whereas Megan Fox's Jennifer has no humor or dimension - she is a rather wooden presence. The film ends up being a wasted opportunity and aside from some smart lines, it's neither scary nor very humorous. For some lessons on how to create something intelligent, please check Sam Raimi's "Drag me To Hell".

The Informant!

Movie name: The Informant!
Year of release: 2009
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Stars: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale, Melanie Lynskey, Tom Papa, Ann Cusack, Clancy Brown, Tony Hale, Patton Oswalt
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:The prolific Steven Soderbergh returns with another great film to add to his incredibly rich and diversified filmography. After the huge effort that was "Che" and the digitally shot "The Girlfriend Experience", Soderbergh has decided to take on the true story of Mark Whitacre. Whitacre worked for ADM in the early 90s and collaborated with the FBI in order to unveil the corruption there was behind ADM and therefore expose what became one of the largest price fixing cases in history. The interesting thing about the whole ordeal, was the fact that Whitacre was himself a fraudulent character, embezzling money and lying back and forth to basically everyone. Soderbergh is an artist that always visualizes stories differently, and with "The Informant!" he decides to use the tone of satire to expose a situation that is almost surreal. Whitacre is a character who lies back and forth and all over the place, that at a certain point no one knows exactly where he's coming from - it's simultaneously tragic and very funny. Soderbergh utilizes a tone that is very retro, from the cinematography (for which he is responsible again) to the ironic and great soundtrack from Marvin Hamlisch. Finally he has found in Matt Damon the perfect accomplice to bring the character to life - sporting a gut and a moustache, Damon finally gives a fantastic performance, better than anything he has done before. He composes a flawed man that deep down can't help himself with all the chronic lying and deceiving. He has good support from Scott Bakula, Joel McHale and Melanie Lynskey. A great film worth checking out!

Surrogates

Movie name: Surrogates
Year of release: 2009
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Stars: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, Boris Kodjoe, James Francis Ginty, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames, Jack Noseworthy
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:Jonathan Mostow has forged himself a career as a director of action films that have decidedly a very B-movie approach. Much in the vein of what John Carpenter forged with "They Live!", Jonathan Mostow returns with "Surrogates" which has a great premise: people in their vast majority have ceased to interact socially, and have replaced themselves with perfect robot counterparts that do all their functions and jobs. There is a counter-movement that wants to abolish this way of life, and bring back humans to their every day lives. When one "Surrogate" gets killed, and so does his "user", the FBI is brought in to investigate the case. Heading the case is Tom Greer whose life has been touched by tragedy in past years. His probing into the case unveils a lot more than anyone might expect. The film has some traces that connect it with another recent big budget film, "I Robot" from director Alex Proyas, but "Surrogates" goes in a different direction. The film is an analogy for the alienation of human contact and the need to interact and feel, that is something eminently human. Jonathan Mostow is a director that goes straight to the core of things, very much in the tradition of his previous best films, namely "Terminator 3" and "Breakdown". Bruce Willis manages to create a good character, and his sad and tired gaze suit the character perfectly. The only falter the film has is it's own limited ambitions. As it is, it's a quickly discardable entertainment piece.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Movie name: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Year of release: 2009
Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Stars: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Mr. T., Bruce Campbell, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris
Genre: Comedy, Animation
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:The first feature film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller adapts the book from Judi and Ron Barrett, of the same name, with a lot of success. The film follows the story of Flint Lockwood, a young inventor, who since a child always had trouble of making his inventions work and be practical, much to the dismay of his father. Flint lives in a small island that is going nowhere since their main export, sardines, stopped being sold. He decides to invent a machine to convert water to food, but due to a series of events, the machine ends up up in the sky, making it rain food to whatever desire people have. The story of the whiz kid ostracized by everyone, the acceptance of parents towards their children, and the need for friendship and love is all brought forth in the most charming way. Though not as sophisticated in it's approach as Pixar films are, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is nonetheless an interesting and funny film that is worth checking out!

Thirst

Movie name: Thirst
Year of release: 2009
Director: Chan-woo Park
Stars: Kang-ho Song, Ok-vin Kim, Hae-sook Kim, Ha-kyun Shin
Genre: Drama, horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:Chan-Woo Park is well known to most audiences for his fantastic and unforgettable "Old Boy", that gave him the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival of 2004. His latest film stars Hang-ho Song, star of "The Host" as a member of the clergy that volunteers to be part of a medical experiment in order to isolate a possible virus that has been killing monks, and possibly develop a vaccine. When the virus kills him, a blood transfusion brings him back to life, with some unexpected consequences. His need for blood is constant, otherwise the virus comes back in full strength with mortal/deadly consequences. Simultaneously he becomes involved with a family he knew from his younger boyhood days, becoming increasingly attached to the young wife of his childhood friend.
"Thirst" is not a conventional vampire film: the same way "28 Days Later" presented a different concept of zombies, this film presents a different concept of vampires. The thirsty ones here don't have fangs, but are mortally sensitive to the virus that eats them away and to sunlight. Chan-Woo Park decides to make the film about the dynamics of a close family, and how the disease slowly eats everyone away, one way or another. Similarly to David Cronenberg's "The Fly" where Jeff Goldblum's character embraces the mutation that is eating him away, one of the characters that is transformed by the virus, embraces the difference and relishes the pleasure and liberty that it provides. This is a definite different take on vampires, that embraces ghost stories, without going the supernatural way similar to many Hollywood treatments of the subject matter. Definitely worth checking out.

Julie and Julia

Movie name: Julie and Julia
Year of release: 2009
Director: Nora Ephron
Stars: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jane Lynch, Linda Emond, Joan Juliet Buck
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:Nora Ephron started her career as a screenwriter, with great acclaim in films as "Silkwood" and "When Harry Met Sally". Her career as a director has also known it's fair share of acclaim, notably with "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail", but most of her films are always met with mixed opinions and reviews. That is due mostly to the fact that beneath it's quirkiness, lies a very formulaic way of approaching the stories she chooses to tackle. Her previous films, "Bewitched" and "Lucky Numbers" were mediocre ones, so "Julie and Julia" is a good effort, even if not a totally accomplished one. The film follows two parallel stories, renowned cook/chef Julia Child's and her husband Paul (in the 60s) and a more contemporary one, the one of Julie Powell and her husband Eric. Julia Child is introduced as a larger than life woman, with an exuberant personality, that contrasts with her more subdued (and smaller in height) husband Paul. Both are living in Paris due to Paul's work in the American embassy. Julia's need to occupy herself takes her to cooking classes and to a project of publishing an herculean book based on french cooking. Julie's story arc, is of a young woman who hasn't accomplished much in her life, and who starts writing a blog, based on the recipes of Julia Child, much as a form of therapy. The problem of this film lies precisely in this division. Julia Child's story is suppose to act as a mentor or tutoring presence over the contemporary one, however it ends up being the most interesting thing of the entire film, making the contemporary side pale by comparison. Julia Child deserves a film for herself, for a life full of interest and populated with fascinating personalities and details, whereas Julie Powell's is one that comes across as petty, whining and ultimately irritating. The unbalance of this lies in the director's hands who does not know how to properly position both story arcs. Meryl Streep is fantastic and excels as usual in her role, enjoying a great chemistry with the also great Stanley Tucci. The usually good Amy Adams does what she can with an underwritten part, whereas Chris Messina as her husband is irritating beyond belief (and playing the same character he has played in the past films he has done). This is a film that is worth for half of the story it presents and for some fantastic acting.

Taking Woodstock

Movie name: Taking Woodstock
Year of release: 2009
Director: Ang Lee
Stars: Demetri Martin, Emile Hirsch, Henry Goodman, Imelda Staunton, Dan Fogler, Liev Schreiber, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Paul Dano, Kelli Garner, Eugene Levy, Jonathan Groff, Mamie Gummer, Darren Pettie
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:Ang Lee is back after one of his oriental ventures with his previous film, "Lust, Caution" (the director also did "Eat Drink Man Woman" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"). Ang Lee decides to tackle this time Woodstock, and focuses on the experiences of Elliot Tiber, a young Jewish man whose parents own and run a degraded motel in the Catskills. Elliot is the head for the local Chamber of Commerce, and each Summer organizes a small music festival in hopes he will bring some attention to the local community and also bring some people to his parents motel (where he sends most of his own money to help them out). When Elliot hears that a hippie concert has lost his permit, he decides to contact the organization and inform them about their community. When it's decided to make that area the spot for the concert, things escalate and affect everyone, changing not only a generation but particularly Elliot's world.
A common thread throughout Ang Lee's films has always been the feeling of rootlessness that embodies his central characters, even in his most mainstream film that is "The Incredible Hulk". That is present again in "Taking Woodstock", where Elliot the main character, is trying to find his inner path, and also come out to his parents. His passion for Paul, the man he meets at the festival, and the liberty that the festival and the hippie movement represent, push him in the direction to be ultimately truthful to himself. The film is a gentle representation of what the movement was about, the chaos, the sheer impulse of everything, things that Ang Lee expertly represents. This film doesn't intend to summarize a generation and an event of such importance as was Woodstock, but it does show how a microcosms of many lives were changed and altered forever. He gets great performances from his actors as usual, notably the great Imelda Staunton, Liev Schreiber, Emile Hirsch and Demetri Martin. A film worth checking out.

Inglourious Basterds

Movie name: Inglourious Basterds
Year of release: 2009
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, Til Schweiger, Daniel Bruhl, Jacky Ido, BJ Novak, Omar Doom, Mike Meyers, Julie Dreyfus, Martin Wuttke
Genre: Action, Drama, War
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:Quentin Tarantino's 6th film ranks up there with his best, namely "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown". The film converges a series of stories, namely the Inglourious Basterds, the plattoon of Jewish American soldiers under the command of Lt. Aldo Raine, who are sent to France to kill as many Nazis as possible (and get scalps to be more accurate) and the story of young Shosanna Dreyfus a Jewish girl who survives the murder of her family. Around these two main characters exist a series of supporting characters, namely the German SS Officer Hans Landa, the charismatic and multi-linguistic officer bent on discovering any Jews left in France and uphold his position as chief of security for the Nazis. The climax of the film converges on a night where the future of the War can be determined, all under the symbol of Cinema. Inglourious Basterds, as all Tarantino films, is filled with references to other films, but what's always exciting about Quentin Tarantino is the freshness and boldness with which he expands his canvas. His films are about the power of word, that involves you, but the way he shows it and displays it, is purely cinematic and always inventive. Basterds has great visual touches, and again the editing of the fantastic Sally Menke makes the film have a rhythm that is simply perfect. The acting is uniformly good, with highlights going to the fantastic Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt who hams it just enough and Melanie Laurent. This is a film that breathes cinema and that is waiting to be seen frequently.

Funny People

Movie name: Funny People
Year of release: 2009
Director: Judd Apatow
Stars: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Iris Apatow, Maude Apatow, Aubrey Plaza, Torsten Voges, RZA
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:Judd Apatow's third feature film features his usual roster of collaborators, but the film has a definitely improved look, much of it due to the fantastic director of photography that is Janusz Kaminski. "Funny People" follows the story of George Simmons, a successful actor (comedian) who learns from his doctor, that he has a terminal illness. George tries to deal with these news the best way he can, and one night following a disastrous stand up routine, he meets Ira Wright and Leo Koenig, two young up and coming comedians. George ends up hiring Ira for his assistant, so he can write jokes for him but also help around the house since his health is faltering. Ira, the eternal shy and klutz man around the girls, ends up forging an odd friendship with George. George in attempt to have some closure in his life, contacts one of his past girlfriends, which sets off a series of events. "Funny People" comes in the vein of Judd Apatow's previous comedies, but has a more serious and dramatic tone to it. In a way, it reminds a bit of James L. Brooks trademark, but with more penis jokes. The character that really sticks out is George, not for being the obvious centerpiece, but mostly because George is shown for who he is - a selfish and self absorbed person, who feels the need to reach out when he feels alone, but not for long. The remaining characters feel very underdeveloped, particularly the character portrayed by Eric Bana. Whereas "Knocked Up" featured a tone that was endearing and heartfelt, "Funny People" feels surprisingly like a slice of cliches (the alone movie star, the wife that is unhappy, the young aspiring comedian who can't get a girlfriend). With the uprise of the production values, something may have missed in this comedy - a heart.

District 9

Movie name: District 9
Year of release: 2009
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Stars: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Nathalie Bolt, Vanessa Haywood, John Summer
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:"District 9" is Neill Blomkamp's first feature, following some shorts (one of which was the base for this film). Blomkamp was initially going to direct the feature "Halo", but after that collapsed, he focused on "District 9" with the help of Academy Award winning director Peter Jackson. The film has an interesting premise: an alien ship comes to Earth and hovers in Johannesburg. When the humans go and investigate the contents of the ship, they find a huge number of aliens in poor conditions, upon which they are brought to Earth to a compartiment that soon becomes a ghetto (the aliens are kept in that area for 20 years and counting). With high interests from huge corporations (particularly arms manufacturers) in tapping into the alien technology, plans develop to move the aliens to a new compound, due to the riots and social discomfort that has grown. To supervise this plan, MNU, the main company delegates those efforts to Wikus Van de Merwe. What follows is a close approach of what his actions create and what the life of the Aliens on Earth is like. "District 9" is a very well done film, that intelligently mixes sci-fi elements with a political stance that is a metaphor for so much of what human history is about. It's very interesting that for a film that takes place in South Africa, where Apartheid lasted for so long, we have again the same kind of treatment for another minority. Blomkamp uses the "documentary" style to show the poor conditions and showcase the assimilation of the Aliens to the slums of the city. The film is smartly conceived, never creating the feeling that the situation is too offbeat or surreal - Blomkamp tries to retain a sense of reality and closeness to our own current events and political turmoils. A very good first effort and a film worth checking out.

Ponyo

Movie name: Ponyo
Year of release: 2008
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, Lily Tomlin, Noah Cyrus, Frankie Jonas
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:Each film that Hayao Miyazaki directs is always a happening, and justifiably so. Throughout his career, the director has created masterpiece after masterpiece. Always a huge hit in his homeland of Japan, his films have extended their beauty and impact throughout the rest of the world in these last years. "Spirited Away" won the Oscar in 2002 and "Ponyo" his latest offering is another beautiful and magical effort. Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's "Little Mermaid", the story follows a little creature from the seas, who upon meeting a little boy named Sosuke longs to be human and be with him. Through her magic, she comes to his little town, where Sosuke lives with his mother and father (his father currently away in the high seas on his boat). However Ponyo's magic causes an unbalance in nature, something that her choice to be human or return to the oceans can solve. This film follows familiar themes that populate Miyazaki's films: the relationship of humans with nature, how men destroy and corrupt mother nature, the relationships between families, the absence and return to purer lifestyles. "Ponyo" isn't as fantastically detailed as "Spirited Away" or even "Howl's Moving Castle" were, but it's animation and magic touch the core of the child in each and everyone of us. A true gem waiting to be discovered.

(500) Days of Summer

Movie name: (500) Days of Summer
Year of release: 2009
Director: Marc Webb
Stars: Joseph Gordon Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend, Chloe Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler, Clark Gregg, Patricia Belcher
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:(500) Days of Summer is Marc Webb's first feature film, following his work for several different pop bands and artists. The film follows the story of Tom Hansen and Summer Finn, two characters with very different approaches towards love and relationships. Tom believes there's a person out there for everyone, someone that balances everything in your life, someone that adds something to it, whereas Summer is more disillusioned and wants to have "friends" instead of relationships. When they get together, Tom falls hard for Summer, believing her to be the one, whereas Summer is more guarded and doesn't hold any expectations about what is happening. During the 500 days of their relationship, we watch all the paths that a story between two people can take. Marc Webb's first feature is simple in it's premise, but the way the director narrates the story makes it interesting, captivating and engrossing. It also helps that he cast really two gifted actors, the always fantastic Joseph Gordon Levitt and the luminous Zooey Deschanel. Marc Webb is also stylistically interesting, mixing perfectly choreographed musical numbers, adding splashes of animation effects, that give the story the feeling of the joy of love and the sorrow of loss. Some of the usual cliches of the romantic love stories are there, but the main characters are well developed and everything is filmed with such charm that make this a film to be discovered!